Simplicity & Complexity
by Lorelei547
Summary: "Who died?" Ann asks looking around the table. I find irony in those words, too much irony actually… "Ask the shrieking Cabbage Patch Kid…" Gray grumbles taking a seat at the edge of the bar. My jaw drops, how dare he!  A much needed Popuri and Gray fic
1. I did not! Oh that? Yeah I did do that

**Chapter 1**

"Yes!" I smile under my thick scarf. Standing next to the mail box, my one hand rests on the lid the other grasps our new Netflix video: _The Princess Diaries. _Alright so I've seen the movie before about a hundred million times before, but I absolutely love it. And today being Friday my official movie night well the television is all mine!

Peaking my eye through the rest of our mail, rather uninterestedly I remember I have to bring the rest in as well. Taking the remaining envelopes I tuck them all into my coat pocket and readjust myself accordingly to their new weight making sure none can fall out. It is mid January and the snow is falling heavily over little Mineral Town. Actually I'm starting to wonder if it is ever planning to stop at all. As of three days ago we have gotten a total foot and a half of snow yet still flurries are threatening to bring us up to two feet.

"DON'T YOU RUN AWAY FROM ME YOU TWO-TIMING, GIRL-STEALING, JERK!"

The on coming voice startles me but I'm immediately curious. Looking over in the direction of the loud voice I can't yet see it's speaker. But I shouldn't have to wait long as the hurried footsteps stomp closer and closer to the blacksmiths corner. _Popuri you shouldn't ease drop…_ I tell myself, but the voice is continuing on and the footsteps getting closer yet. Despite my screaming conscious I duck behind the nearest evergreen, admittedly it doesn't provide much for my cover. And it didn't help my pink hair could stand out at a mile in summer let alone now when everything around me is painted a sheet of white. But counting on the growing tension I could feel approaching I kneel down in the freezing snow anyway just peaking my head out between two branches.

I can see Gray round the corner, his face is bright red in anger his fist clenched tightly as if he is truly seconds away from letting it fly. Even though I hadn't been the one to make him this way I cower back a little. I've never seen Gray actually hit a person. Desks, walls, pillars maybe, but not a person. Still fear grips me at the sight of him. "I told you it wasn't like that!" he booms to the scurrying legs behind him.

I have to lean forward a little more to see who it is coming. _Rick!_ Oh what is my brother doing now?

"Oh really?" Rick is sputtering at the blacksmith. "Then what would you call it when a guy is caught out alone with a girl, which is _not_ his?"

Gray has one hand on the door knob, "I don't have time for this," he growls.

"Oh yes you do!" Rick jumps up grabbing the blacksmiths arm in an attempt to pull him back. Unfortunately for my brother though he is no match for the burly apprentice. With one swing of Gray's hand he'd flung Rick clear across the pathway.

"Rick!" I scream completely forgetting I'd been eavesdropping. I swipe my hand firmly over my mouth like it could help me now, _darn._ But it is too late; having already blown my cover I rush out from my hiding spot over to stunned looking boys. "Are you alright?" I ask kneeling down over Rick checking for scratches or signs of injury.

"Popuri!" Rick growls pushing me away. "You get out of here! What did Mom tell you about eavesdropping?" I frown pulling my arms to my chest; I hadn't rush over here worried about him just to get lectured.

"Whats happened here?" I demand looking to each boy in turn two very different expressions spread across their faces. Ricks is one of anger, annoyance and honestly I can't tell exactly who exactly his hostility is directed to. While Gray's face on the other hand looks shocked as he looks wide-eyed from me to Rick, pestered and perturbed all at once.

"Nothing," Gray tells me his eyes narrowing under his hat.

I raise my eyebrows pointing to Gray's still outstretched arm to Rick whom of which is still lying on the ground. "Oh?" I ask.

"Go home!" both boys growl to me at once, making me jump.

"Make me," I reply stubbornly then Rick scrambles to his feet shooting me a look that just as easily says _I'm telling Mom._ And although I admit it almost sadly this is some leverage against me.

Not even bothering to comment again Gray slams the door shut disappearing into his work place.

"Yeah you better run!" Rick yells at the door, and I roll my eyes. What had been going on here anyway?

"Soo what hap-"

"You're not off the hook," Rick shoots me a glare though triumph is still displayed joyfully on his face. "I'm telling Mom about your little eavesdropping," he says grabbing my arm and tugging me down the road.

"I'm seventeen you know," I grumble shoving him away.

"And I'm twenty-one if you want to start rattling off ages," Rick says shortly as he opens the door waiting for me to walk inside. I comply reluctantly, seeing my mother sitting peacefully on the couch doing some scrap booking. Great well she can say goodbye to that peace. "Popuri was eavesdropping on me _again_!" Rick yells.

"Was not!"

"What! SHE WAS TOO I SAW HER WITH MY OWN EYES AND-"

My mother looks at us, "stop." One simple word said and yet such a big effect. One word and I drop from where I stand on my tip toes. One word and Rick drops his glare, large scowl, and his words cease. "Popuri were you listening in on your brother?"

"Well yes but he-"

"Apologize."

"But-"

"Apologize."

"Sorry Rick…" I say. Then before anyone could say anything else I rush. "He was in a fight with Gray!"

"Popuri you-"Rick fumes only to be interrupted by my mother.

"Oh? Rick what was this fight about?" she asks.

"Nothing really..."

"Rick was calling him a cheater and a girl-stealer," I provide sinking down onto the couch. I know it is a childish way to deal with things around here, but if I'm going to be in trouble for what happened out there so was he. And that's how it is going to be childish or not. And plus it helps that I want him to explain himself as well.

Rick glares at me but my mother's curiosity stops him. "Why is that?" she asks and it is then I started to realize how much she has us down to system with these questions. Did we really do things like this that often?

"I really don't want to talk about it…" Rick says eyes darting to the floor.

"Well I don't think that you are going to get it off your chest any better if you don't," my mother smiles and it is times like these I think she looks the most vibrant. Still the young curious women that she had been in my younger years free of sickness…

Rick nods but even so I could tell he still isn't sure that he wants to say more on the subject. I don't see why it is so secretive. My eyes drift to the movie still placed in my hands, I really do want to watch it…

"Well I suppose it was a little stupid of me…" Rick starts bringing my attention back to him. "I was heading over to the Supermarket to talk to Karen like I always do and I kinda saw Gray there instead… You know they used to date and well I got jealous I guess." I think this over I knew that the two rumoredly had a thing but I never thought that it was actually true…

Why would Rick be jealous anyway? Does he like Karen like that way? Weren't they all just good friends? The thought bugs me; why is it that it everyone in town seems to be pairing off? I mean I suppose it's to be expected most of us are near young adults. But all the labels complicate things so much! Just take that fight Rick had just picked for example. It's stupid, I think. But somewhere in me wonders if I'm just bitter I've never had a special someone myself. I glance at the movie in my hands. _Why haven't I gotten my fairytale prince yet?_

"Now Gray has Mary, they've been dating for a good few months now you know that. There's no need to take it out on him." Mom says.

"I know," Rick admits dejectedly.

"Maybe you should apologize?"

"What!" Rick almost jumps out of his skin. "No way, just because I was wrong to assume him of cheating on Mary; doesn't mean that he isn't a dirt bag jerk nor does he _deserve _my apology!"

"Well that's mean…" I comment though no one seems to be paying much attention to me.

Mom merely smiles though, "come here Rick I found something that I think you should see." Curious myself I scuttle over behind her and Rick who is now settling on the couch. On her lap she pulls out a big binded red book dated _Popuri&Rick Six/Eight_. I lean forward more in between the two to get a better view.

"What are you showing me Ma?" Rick asks but she doesn't reply as she opens the book. She flips through a few pages looking for the right one. As she does I see pictures of me as a child smiling in my Sunday dresses and helping my Dad work I don't remember all of them being taken but I smile at them. However where she stops leaves me confused.

"Look right here," she says pointing to the top of a picture on the right page. In the picture it shows my father, her, Rick, and I all smiling broadly at the beach. I only vaguely remember Dad forming the castle with us. "Do you remember this day?" she asks Rick.

"No," Rick says averting his eyes away from the picture quickly making it most obvious that he in fact did.

"It's the day that Gray first visited Mineral Town," I murmur from behind them.

"That's right," my mom says. Peering deeper into the picture I can see the shipment boat a blur in the sea behind us. Though it is fuzzy I remember the boat coming to the shore and us escorting the young boy and his parents to Sibara's house… I smile Mom is reminding Rick that this _jerk_ that he'd been bad mouthing for the past hour now used to be his best friend…

Though I hadn't thought of this fact in years, -it seemed rather irrelevant now since things had changed so much- Gray had been one of our best friends. My family has lived in Mineral Town long before I was born but Gray hadn't. Instead he used to come and visit his grandfather every summer when his parents got their busy season at work. I was never sure what exactly it was that they did but I knew it involved something that bringing Gray along would be just troublesome.

So they'd bring him to his grandfathers every summer, and each time Mom would end up babysitting him for the days. (Siabara didn't like him near his work space either. Ironic now that I think about it, isn't it?) As Mom goes through the pictures it is like a reawakened memory of ice pops, dungeon castles, late sleepovers and well childhood... Something I try hard never to let die myself, no matter how impossible the task sometime seems.

But as the pages flip my pink haired face fads from the pictures until soon I'm not even there at all. I know the years are passing and the times where I'd been thought of as an equal to the boys is dulling. They'd grown new interests and I'd been pushed to Ann as a friend instead.

The pictures feature the boys playing alone now, Rick and him pulling on each other playfully their times with the video games getting more and more frequent. Years were going by in the pictures stocked full of memories I did not share. When finally the album was four years after and Gray is no longer existent.

"What happened to Gray?" I ask eyes widening I'd never realized such a truly drastic change. Something happened. Something changed in that blond haired cheerful boy depicted. He was nothing like the now grumpy apprentice next door. What happened to their friendship? How could two people so close drift so far apart...?

"Nothing!"

"Rickie honestly now-"I stand for emphasis as I stare down at my brother but instead I draw attention to how soaking wet I really am. I hadn't noticed before with all the excitement but my stockings the hem of my dress are completely soaked through. Melting snow dripping through the fabric and my hair making puddles along the floorboards. The time I'd spent crouching in the snow listening to the boys fight reveled.

"Oh Popuri you're dripping everywhere go up stairs and get washed up!"

"Sorry!" I shirk. I dash up the stairs but as I look back I can see Rick's eyes still focused intently on the pictures, _what had happened between those two?_

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**And that concludes the first chapter of the story you don't know how hard I'm working on. It will feature my most favorite pairing in the world, one that I've wanted to write so many times... But for fear I couldn't do the characters justice I was afraid. I have many many chapters of this finished and this (if some people have been wondering) has been taking up far to much of my time. Hence the delay in other stories...**

**This has most possible makings of my longest fic ever because I want to do it justice and while doing that I want nothing to be rushed. (If only I could find this type of dedication to my school work, xD)**

**Reviews as always are very much appreciated.**

**Thanks so much for reading, next chapter will most likely be up next Sunday/Saturday.**


	2. Purple laced memories

**Chapter 2**

I hurry into my bedroom anxious to get rid of my soaking clothes. I pull a pair of pajamas from dresser and get my linens ready for my bath having since abandoned the idea of my wonderful movie night. I'm halfway across my room when a thought hits me.

Turning back I only have to remember where it was I put it. I rush over to my old trunk, and rummage through it until I hit the very bottom. It has to be in here somewhere.

"Ahah!" I smile triumphantly pulling out a purple lace spiral notebook. Though worn with age I flip through the pages to see most had remained intact. Throwing it on top of my pile I hurry to the bathroom. Locking the door I place my belongings on the side table and lean over to turn the nozzles of the tub.

I don't know why I never questioned this before; he used to be over so much what had happened? Shaking in my still soaked stockings I sit down on the floor unlatching my shoes pulling them off. Already I can hear the tub starting to fill.

I suppose that I never really thought about my brothers friend much after I had Ann. But still… I pause checking the waters temperature. Satisfied it start to unlace my dress and as I do I rack my brain for memories I could remember of the duo. Throwing the remaining of my garments into the hamper and folding a fresh towel around my bare body I grab the laced diary impatiently. There had to be something in here.

I sat at the edge of the tub just stared at it for a little. I had never been one to read or writing much of anything, it just bored me. I was never able to sit still long enough to really enjoy it I suppose, so perhaps this wasn't much to go off of. But it is the best thing I have. Opening it up I flip through the first few pages. The entries are short, not much to behold as I'd expected. Many pages contain pictures I'd taken from the album with small misspelled captions underneath instead of true paragraph entries.

The days skip around a lot and many entries cover many previous days instead of just one present day. They bounce around from topic to topic obviously quickly, obviously written on rainy days when I hadn't been allowed to do much else.

Warm water creeps up behind me and I jump having to practically save myself and the dairy from falling into the warm water. The tub was much to full and I have to rush to hit the nozzle and stop the flow of water.

Discarding the towel I test the water with one toe. It is just right. Slowly and carefully not to knock out any of the much to high water I lower myself in. Leaving the dairy at the edge of the tub. My hands skim the bottom surface for the drain, finding it I yank it free just long enough for the water to submerge to a proper level.

For a minute I slouch down into the bubbly water so that it rises up above my mouth, my senses swallowed in by the rich vanilla scents I'd added to the bath. I lean my head back for a little forgetting about everything that is weighing me down.

_"What happened Rick?" _My voice echoes in my head and the moments of still peacefulness have been interrupted. I open my eyes seeing the small purple book still resting at the edge of the tub. What had happened? Drying my hands and sitting up just enough to read it I flip though my small ramblings of Christmas gifts, Rick's meanness and play dates with Ann.

A few amuse me. Particularly the small narrations of how the boys and I fought on where to make playing make-believe. In the chicken coop or behind the church. There are also small entries that are scribbled down fast they are barley legible between spelling errors and rushed script. I could tell I had been too excited about playing with them that I didn't want to waste time writing about our adventures, but out solving them.

The days stretch out and entries get less frequent when I stop. the page marked the date the eighth of March… And unlike all previous entries this one was lengthy and detailed, _how could I have _wanted _to write that much? _I wonder.

My eyes dart over it struggling to read the horrid print and ill formed words. There are spots on the paper that are clearly dried from small spots of tears in which the ink had blurred. And yet I somehow I can remember every word I printed on this paper.

_It was the day I'd found out Gray's mother had passed away… _I was young didn't understand death and no one had been willing to help a young girl understand… The four of us, (Ann, Gray, Rick and I) had been playing around the coops when Siabara had come and grabbed Gray away from us. I remembered Dad yelling at him and him yelling back that something had happened and Gray needed to go see his father right away.

My parents demanded to know what happened but before we could even be told what was going on the Mayor has burst in going on about a car accident. My mother had pushed me inside the house where I'd written this. I hadn't known why they had taken Gray away or what was going on, why Siabara had looked so angry and mad or why the Mayor was even involved! And this diary had been the only thing I could talk to…

The entries following were longer still, Gray hadn't come back at all the next few summers…

"POPURI WHAT ARE YOU DROWNING IN THERE?" Rick fumes at the door.

"I'll be out soon!" I say placing the book aside. _Gray hadn't always been this angry mad fellow I often cower from in the streets… How had I forgotten? What changed?_

The water was getting cooler and I sunk my head further into it, why hadn't I ever continued to questioned this after these entries?

~~~:~~~

That next morning the shock of what I'd found out and what I guess always knew has sunk in. But I need to know more I I just have to. _Curiosity killed the cat Popuri_, I warn myself by it's half hearted. I get dressed quickly layering up with mittens, a scarf, and vest all under my long red coat. I tell my family I'll be eating breakfast at the Inn and rush out before they can reply. I don't know why I don't just ask Mom about this after all she was there as well. But for some reason Ann seems like a better option… Perhaps it is because Ann wasn't the one who had originally tried to hide it from me...

Running through the streets is a blur and before I know it I've rushed into a pretty much deserted Inn. Doug stands at the counter straightening some plates preparing for breakfast.

"Oh hi Popuri," he smiles obviously surprised at my arrival. "You're here quite early would you like a-"

"Sorry Doug I can't talk now I need to see to Ann."

"Well she's upstairs in her room but I don't think you should wake her she's-"

"Thanks Doug!" I yell dashing up the stairs quickly almost tripping a few in the process. The second I see Ann's door I barge straight in, "Ann!" I yell trying to catch my breath.

"WHAT THE HELL? POPURI WHAT ARE YOU-"

"Sorry!" I gasp throwing my hand over my eyes. Ann is just in the middle getting changed, still bleary-eyed and half asleep.

"POPURI! For all the love in- close the door!" She shrieks and I'm quick to follow instruction. Staying there as Ann pulls over her shirt and latched on her suspenders. "Now!" she says face still red in anger, "what in the world are you thinking? Barging in here like that, and- Popuri it's seven in the morning what in the world are you thinking?"

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to! I didn't see anything I promise I-"

Ann is standing over me now eyes a flame, "I don't care that you saw me in my bra and panties! For the Goddess's sake I've slept over your house millions of times, what I'm angry about is that you've barged into my bedroom at the crack of dawn like a crazy women yelling this and that waking up this whole entire Inn!"

"Sorry… I-"

"Just tell me what's going on!" Ann demands her hair askew not yet braided.

"Here," I mumble pushing my dairy into her hands, "read this."

Ann takes one look at it and tosses it back to me. "I can't read that Popuri."

"Why not?"

"It's illegible! There's a reason you never became a writer Poppy!"

I frown and her gaze softens, "come here," she says. I follow her and together we sit down on her bed. "Now _calmly_ and preferably _quietly _explain to me what the in the blazes is going on."

I take a deep breath my thoughts going by so fast. "Do you know what March eighth is?" I ask.

Ann gives me one of the stupidest looks imaginable. "No."

"It's the anniversary of Gray's mother's death," I prompt.

"Umm okay then why are you-"

"We were there!" I gasp only half aware how insane I must sound.

"Popuri are you drunk?" Ann's face changes from anger to worry her hand creeping up to feel my forehead which I swat away.

"No!" I grumble. "I mean back when we were about ten do you remember the day we were playing out in the coops and Siabara came and took Gray away and we didn't see him after that?"

For a second I thought Ann was going to send me off to an asylum. Say that she didn't remember a thing but then slowly she replies, "Vaguely yes…"

"When did he come back?"

"What? Popuri calm down why is it that you're suddenly caring so much about Gray's past?"

"I-" I pause why did I care? "I don't know," I finish. "But last night Rick and Gray both got in this huge fight and after Mom showed us all these pictures of when we were little. Why had everything changed? Rick and Gray were best friends… When did Gray come back to Mineral town?"

"Uhh when three years ago member?"

"He changed when he came back…" I whisper.

"Well of course he changed!" Ann rasps at me like I'm stupid. "Losing a parent _does_ that Popuri! You don't know what to do who you are, it's horrible. Your whole life style changes after that, the things you did then only remind you of them, and things they brought to your life are gone… You're never able to hear them speak again or see their smiling face…" I'm not sure why Ann is taking this so personally until I realize she's lost a parent too… Her mother died when she was young as well…

"I- I'm sorry Ann I didn't mean-"

Ann shook her head not wanting to talk about it further. "No it's alright."

"Do you think that's why Gray is so irritable sometimes?" I ask.

Ann takes a little to reply, "Maybe…" She says. "But Popuri remember he wasn't a very talkative child to begin with. He always was shy and smaller than most boys his age," I nod though I knew that wasn't the case now. Gray towers over many villagers these days he'd just grown late.

"But he wasn't so angry…" I say.

"True, maybe it is part of the reason…"

"Do you think that's why he and Rick aren't friends anymore?"

"Maybe… Popuri why are you so curious about this just because of one fight? Those two have never seen eye to eye in years. Why does this one outing affect you so much?"

I look at her in disbelief I hadn't realized this had been going on for so long! What else didn't I know? Sometimes Popuri you can be so thick headed!

Ann sighs her hands raising up in a well practiced fashion to intertwine her hair into a tightly woven braid. "Come on squirt lets go get breakfast." I wince at my nickname, but I followed her just as well.

Down stairs I sit at the bar watching Doug and Ann run in and out of the kitchen preparing breakfast for their tenants whom of which are not yet awake. My fingers twitch every once in a while, I hate sitting still but I can't bring myself to help like I usually did. I feel weighed down.

"Something on your mind?" a soft voice inquires next to me making me jump. Cliff pulls himself up onto a bar stool next to me.

"W-what makes you think that?" I ask looking at him nervously. I am always told I'm easy to read, but I didn't need to be interrogated as well.

Cliff's cheeks reddened. I couldn't ever understand why he got so embarrassed _talking_. He does this with everyone, not just myself. It is like talking is some extreme thing to be weighed and thought about carefully with him. Like talking is so... unnatural to him, and well I think its weird. Probably because talking is something that comes so natural to me, its hard to imagine it'd be difficult for someone else to find the right wording.

"J-just I don't normally see you, uhh-"I wait expectantly but he shakes his head. "You're just not normally this quiet."

"Just tired it's like, goddess what-" I looked up gasping at the clock. "No way nine o' clock _already_!" I yell starting to panic. "But-"

"Uhh," Cliff shakes his head trying hard to calm my outburst. "Almost eight actually…"

I double check, "oh right." Digital clocks were so much easier…

"What's all the yelling about?" a new very annoyed voice speaks. I turn just in time to see the source of this internal tornado of mine making his way down the stairs.

Neither Cliff nor I answer; instead I simply just sit back down eyes darting to the table.

"Back-"Ann starts her announcement only to look at each of us in turn. "Who died?" Personally I found irony in those words, too much irony…

"Ask the shrieking Cabbage Patch Kid…" Gray grumbles taking a seat at the edge of the bar.

My jaw drops, "what me?" I gasped.

He looked at me to Cliff, "Cliff do you like dolls?"

"Uh no…"

Gray shrugs, "yeah you." I cross my arms glaring the best I could muster at him. This admittedly wasn't much.

"Break it up you two," Ann growls throwing a plate down in front of me then Cliff. "And apologize Gray, what'd she do to you?"

He mumbles something I don't catch. _His mother did die…_ Ugh why was he so… soo… MEAN!. There I said it, m-e-a-n. How does Mary even put up with him?

I got various stares and looks as I start my internal argument of what to think of the man but I don't stop to question them. Scarfing down my meal I thank Doug and Ann, slap some money on the counter and jump down from the stool. Grabbing my coat I'm out into the winter air.

The cold air wakes me up quite a bit and I find myself not really looking up as I walk to shield my face from the wind.

_Cabbage Patch Kid? Honestly? Meanie, why do I even care what happened to him? For all I know its better he isn't still friends with Rickie, anyway. A negative influence, that's what he is. And a scary negative influence at that!_

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**First off, thanks so much for reviewing last chapter everyone! (: I hope that you enjoyed Chapter two as well. ^^ I didn't get much writing done this week, I'm not sure if it's writers block because I know what I want to write it just isn't coming out to my satisfaction...  
Either way hopefully an update next Saturday, I like to be a few chapters ahead and since that didn't work out this week we'll see. Reviews as always are very much appreciated**


	3. Get out of her way!

**Chapter 3**

"Morning!" I yawn stretching my arms high up in the air as I come down the stairs. Things are stationed as usual; Mom is seated at the dining table looking through clothing catalogs, Rick is in the kitchen.

"Sleeping Beauty awakes," Rick rolls his eyes through the kitchen window.

"Hmm and I was going to see if you needed help…" I say falling on to the couch. Actually I don't mind helping out with meals once in a while. Especially eggs for breakfast, but I value sleep a little more. Well that and burning things happen to be a little too common of an occurrence for me.

Pulling the television remote out from under the pillow –Rick's favorite hiding spot- I flip the box on planning to watch some cartoons or something. My thumb glides through the channels one after the other I'm just about ready to give up entirely when I hear a small gasp come from behind me.

I pause but don't look writing it off as a high price or paper cut. Then that I hear one of the most sickening sounds I have ever heart in my entire life, a hoarse shaky cry followed by a loud _thud_.

"MOM!" Rick yells whatever pot he had been using clamoring to the ground as he rushes over, by this time I've jumped up look around. At first I can't see anything then I follow Rick's gaze… down… down to the ground. Where my mother lay, or I really can't calling lying at all. She is convulsing, her eyes twitching back and forth her whole body shaking. Her mouth coughing up salvia and I dare say she is even turning blue.

"Get the Doctor!" Rick yells before I ca even process any more thoughts on the matter.

"But-"

"NOW!"

I don't hesitant after being told twice. Still in my pink fuzzy slippers and pajamas I run out in to the cold. It is snowing but I don't pay any attention to that, all I know is that I have to get Tim _now_.

I suppose I hadn't been looking ahead much either as I run straight into something, ran. Bouncing back I reach for my head pain going through me it felt like I'd hit a pole. A hard and sturdy pole that nearly knocks the wind out of me.

"What the hell do you-"correction not a pole, worse a pissed off blacksmith.

"Move!" I yell not even bothering to care if I sound harsh. For all I know my mother is dying, being polite is the last thing on my mind.

"Don't talk to me like-"

Sometimes they say in desperate situations people can do inhuman things. Like a father throwing a several ton car to save his being crushed daughter. Or something like that. I think that is kind of what happened here. I don't know what comes over me but I push Gray. With all my heart is soul I push him… and he falls.

I am as I've often said before only a small girl. I stand at five feet and two inches; Gray is somewhere around the six foot mark. I weigh just over a hundred pounds, he well I don't even know. I guess what I am trying to say is that there is no way under any other _normal_ circumstances a petite thing like myself even have the strength to do that. Not to mention the guts, Gray in all senses of the word _terrified _me.

But in that second I don't care, I don't even apologize either. I shove and run not bothering to look back.

I slam on the Clinic door, it's locked. But I kick at it and yell until a blearily awake doctor comes to the door.

He looks shocked to say the least, "oh Popuri how-"

"It's my about my Mom."

Funny how five little words can make this man come to life. He yells for his nurse grabs a carrying bag and quickly follows me out the door.

"What's happening to her?" he asks.

"I-I don't know," I sob back. It is the first time I realize I'd been crying. Though I assume it had started ways back when I first saw my mother on the floor, but I hadn't realized it. I hadn't realized I was out in the snow in just a tank top and now soaked through sweats. I hadn't noticed my slippers were almost drenched in mud and snow, either… Tim is a doctor everything is going to be okay…

We barged in the door and my mother is still on the ground but she looks conscious and aware of her surroundings, thats good. Rick who is white as a ghost sits holding her hand. A pillow has been placed behind my mother's head -I assume Rick has placed it there-. His glasses are fogged with tears as he looks up at us.

"What happened?" Tim demands.

"Seizure... I think…" Rick responds.

"Lillia are you alright?" Tim asks coming down to squat next to her.

"I-I don't remember it-"she whispers her eyes distant but I'm just so happy she is breathing normal and most importantly _alive_.

Tim nods, "that's normal. Rick can you explain what you did and what-"

"Yes, she was sitting there and…" his voice fades into the back of my head as he goes through whats happened. I don't listen, I don't need to live it all over. Elli arrives somewhere during Rick's explanation, I let her in. Reassured everything is fine she turns to me.

"Are you alright?" she asks sitting down at the foot of the staircase next to me.

I shake my head tears still coming down my face.

She wraps her arms around me and I lean my head on her, "she's going to be alright." She whispers trying to sooth me.

I don't respond Elli doesn't, no one knows that. No one ever will… even if this seizure meant nothing Mom is still ill. And no one has the cure… And I hate it, absolutely hate it!

~~~~:~~~~

"Word on the block is that someone decked and other someone..." Karen smiles over me making my hand stop halfway in it's reach for the bread.

"Huh?" I ask as innocently as I can.

"Oh don't go around listening to Manna's rumors again," Rick scolds his best friend.

"I'm not, I heard this one from the source."

"I-I didn't _hit_ him…" I whisper but that is enough for Karen to be cheering pumping her fist into the air. It is also enough for Rick look as if he could blow his top.

"_Him!_ Popuri what did you-"

"She soaked Gray right in the-"

"I said I didn't hit him!" I try to defend myself. "I just-"

"Gray! Popuri you fought _Gray_! What do you think-"

"I DID NOT!"

See this is why both Karen and Rick are friends. Both happen to be close to hypocrites! Rick hates Gray yet is mad that I _hit_ him. While Karen who not long ago dated the guy is acting like this was the greatest accomplishment of my life. Okay well maybe that isn't why they got along but its my version at the moment.

"Well that's sure what it sounds like…" Karen shakes her head at me. I'd only pushed the guy this morning, I doubt anyone even knew of the scare my family had been through just hours ago, and yet somehow the whole town knew I pushed a blacksmith. I knew I shouldn't have left Mom at home; I'd only left since she insisted I go with Rick to the market…

"Well I didn't," I growl. "He just happened to be in my way when-"

"When what?" Karen laughs, "when a dinosaur ate your brain and-"

"WHEN I THOUGHT MY MOTHER WAS DIEING!" I yell. Unable to take it anymore tears starting in my eyes.

Karen's eyes immediately soften, guilt splashing on her face. But that doesn't matter to me now. "Popuri I-"

"Here," I force the basket into Rick's arms. And without much other thought I rush out the door hearing Rick faintly telling Karen it is alright she hadn't known.

Fresh tears well up in my eyes; it isn't that I hadn't known my mother was sick. I remember the day she was diagnosed, ironically Gray had been there that day too. We were watching him when my Dad had ran out of the house with Mom in his arms and rushed her to the clinic.

I remember crying and waiting in the other room, Gray trying to cheer me up. They hadn't told me much after that just she was sick… but she said was going to be okay so I took it as that… Years later I obviously knew it was more serious when my father left to go find a cure for her but never had I been closer to thinking she could be dead than this morning.

And that was the most terrifying thing the in the world. Tim said the seizure had probably had spurred from her disease but that she should be fine. But I don't believe that, what if this is permanent and…

I open the Inn doors tracking Ann down. I wanted to talk with someone, someone who knew me best…

It doesn't take long for Ann to see how upset I am and for Doug to comply for her to take a break. Actually I don't even think she had to ask, Doug flees from tears like the plague.

I tell Ann the morning's events so fast I was surprised she'd even understood them, but she nodded and listened along with them. She didn't try to consol me like Elli. Elli was a great girl don't get me wrong, but it's something about the way she talks to me, everyone else finds it comforting and calming I just… I don't. I don't know why I just don't want advice or to be told everything would be okay, I wanted someone who would listen to everything and not say a word, and that person for me is Ann.

Ann didn't give an opinion she didn't try to pretend things hadn't happen. She let me cry and get every emotion out of me and she doesn't question or judge it me for it.

"I'm sorry Popuri…" she says at the end handing me another tissue. "Tim didn't seem too worried though, right?"

"No… but sometimes I don't know." Actually I do know I know exactly what I think. Sometimes it just seems like Tim has given up on my mother. He doesn't have the cure to whatever was wrong with her, he hardly knows what _is_ wrong with her. And at times like this I really questioned how much more he knew than I or Rick. But I can't say that.

"I heard you hit Gray," Ann smiles and I groan assuming she thought that was supposed to cheer me up or a positive change of subject.

"I didn't hit him; I pushed him he got in the way when I was going to the Clinic's."

Ann laughs, "Well that'll make him think twice before messing with you again. You show em girl!"

I give a weak smile, and she returns it.

"Come on I think that tonight calls for cookies and milk."

"Strawberry milk?"

"Of course!"

I laugh slightly see this was the thing Elli won't do, and this is why Ann is my best friend. She knows after I've cried my eyes out I'm done. And if you talk about it more I'm just going to cry more. She knows that cooking ginger bread cookies and strawberry milk made me feel better. Now if only she knew that along without cookie dough wars I want to watch a chick flick not an action movie…

"Well come on!"

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**Thanks again for all your reviews guys, I love knowing that you are reading. (: I hope that you enjoy this chapter as well, and once again review are always appreciated.**


	4. Thank you for not being a serial killer

**Chapter 4**

I'd like to say that things went back to normal, with winter calming down and spring around the corner it would have been a wonderful time for the town to be at peace. But it wasn't… well at least not in my head.

Mom isn't any better if not worse. For the first time in my life she doesn't look like the strong women I always saw her as, but frail and breakable… Her candy floss hair is duller, dare I say even graying in parts. Tim –who is making weekly visits to check up on her- won't say anything new and it bothers me… _a lot_.

The snow is melting into mush and slush and well not much fun to play in. May and Stu have boarded up their sleds and taken to indoor actives leaving me with two less playmates. Not that I think I'd be up to playing much with everything going on anyway…

I work more these days. I mean I always worked for most of the day before. But it had been more collecting a few eggs taking long breaks and running errands when needed type of stuff. But with Mom sick I'm taking all the orders, and answering the phones all day. I've never realized how many customers we really do have… Rick does all the finances but without Mom helping his outside chores are dwindling, so often there are times I'm be running from the house to the coops trying to both answer phone calls and care for birds.

In town I suppose Popuri pushing Gray has slimmed in importance especially when the condition of my mother got out. I never did find out what Gray thought of it. I suppose I should apologize but I can't bring myself to do it. I'm too afraid he'd be mad still or… well I suppose its silly…

I think one time he tried to talk to me about it… I'd been leaving the Inn a little late that day and saw him come out of the library. It had been like a deer in headlights moment –or so I've heard- I froze every fiber of my body halting. His eyes locked with mine and he open his mouth like he wanted to catch my attention. I think I squeaked… I'm not sure. But at the same moment Duke opened his winery doors and I almost fell to where he was. Quickly asking him how Manna was and where he was heading off to. He seemed quite confused caught off guard and to say it was much of a conversation would be an entire lie. But it had gotten me away from Gray, and that had been what I wanted.

At the time it seemed like life of death to talk to him, but now… well I suppose its the same. After that I made sure not to see him, I took the long way home and never visited Ann while the blacksmiths was closed, it was funny if not ironic that this was the same man I'd been thinking so much about only weeks ago.

It some instances my thoughts hadn't changed much, I'm still rather curious about his past. I'm still afraid of the blacksmith just amplified now. Is it possible to be so curious and so afraid of one person at the same time? I suppose so. See I thought I'd been hiding it pretty well –my fear of Gray that is- I mean I'm sure people had known before from my squeaks when he raised his voice and such I was a little put off. But when my fear heighted I thought I'd been more careful to not allow it to seem out of the ordinary or strange… That was until I'd stumbled upon Rick on his way to the bar.

The drinking limit is only eighteen in on the island so Rick is well over the age limit to intake some alcohol now and than. But I know for a fact he doesn't go to the bar every night to drink away his worries. The reason he did instead being Karen. Why he'd ever want to be with her while she is so wasted I'll never know. Maybe it is for safety, so Karen doesn't go stumbling into the Goddess Pond or something while drunk.

Any way I'd been down at the beach, even in winter with the crisp salty air and no doubt freezing water it is calming to me. I've been seated at the edge of the dock for an hour or so just thinking when I sit up starting on my way back home the sun already setting.

That is when I find Rick but it isn't his voice that makes me stop dead it my tracks. But another's… _Grays._ As quickly as I'd started up the ramp to town square I stumble back down on to my knees hiding from their view. I even close my eyes hoping the extra black screen it put between me in the man would provide some sort of protection.

"Hey!" Gray's ruff voice rumbles.

"I said I didn't want to talk!" Rick yells back.

"And I say that doesn't matter I have something to say."

"Listen," my brother's voice ticks. I can envision him clutching his fists holding himself back from clawing out the blacksmith. "I have a lot of my plate, okay? And _you_ don't need to be added to it! I don't have the time nor the patience to listen to _anything_ you have to say. Alright?"

There is a long silence and I can bet Rick has attempted to walk away.

When Gray mumbles something that could have been _fine it was stupid anyway, _I can't quiet hear him.

"What was stupid?" Rick demands.

_Darn Rick curiosity will kill you_.

"Nothing."

"What was it?"

A pause.

"Popuri."

I jump at my name my hand digging into the sand.

"What about her?" Rick asks and I'd expected his voice to be sharp, mad, or angry that this man had even said my name. I mean he had already ranted a million times about him… But instead it is almost slightly pleading… desperate…

"I could swear I'm Satan himself around her. The stupid cabbage patch kid runs at the very sound of my name!"

"And why shouldn't she?" Rick demands seeming to get his wit back.

"What have I ever done to scare her?"

"I don't know perhaps it's the way you scare everyone in this damn town!"

"I do not!"

"Oh really?" Rick scoffs and I know this isn't just rage he'd bottled up about Gray anymore. (Though it probably has contributed to some degree.) It is everything that has on his mind the past few weeks in particular. Everything pulling him down, enraging him. And Gray is just someone to take it out on, "name one."

"Mary!" Gray says immediately and Rick takes some time to form his next response.

"Yes Gray Mary and you know her parents don't approve right? That besides her -and I have no clue what type of possibly ink transmitted vermin she get shoved up her nose to get that- no one else."

"Take that back!"

"I mean no offense to Mary, she's a good girl. I only question her judgment once in a while!"

Silence again and I can feel the anger rolling off the two.

I'm waiting for their little shouting, -which by this point I'm suspecting has been going on from two opposite sides of the square- to continue, someone to walk away, something. Then I here a quieter voice. Not at all a small voice it was definitely ruff but it is quieter than before slightly frustrated. "Will you just tell your sister that-"

"Tell her yourself!" Rick growls fed up but I doubt he actually wants Gray to come near me.

"I've stinking tried damn it!" Gray growls. "Just let her know I'm not mad or whatever the hell she thinks."

"Why do you even care?" But Rick's reply seems to come unheard to Gray and if he didn't have such loud footsteps I wouldn't have even heard him leave. Rick doesn't pressure him further either. It is then that I'm most tempted to peak open my eyes and watch their body language, everything that was being said that I can't see.

But I don't. I wait minutes after my brother's shoes soft clicking leave the area, and only opened them when I'm sure no one is around.

It has gotten dark, the moon is shining brightly above of me. Slowly as I stand I notice that I feel a little lighter. _He isn't mad at me_…

I don't know why that news has given me such a relief, enlightenment. He wasn't out to hunt me or other crazy fantasies I well may or may not have thought about… I sigh leaning on the ramps railing. _Finally,_ I think. _There is much to much going on lately to have me thinking there about Gray._ But part of me knew this reveal wasn't making me think of him any less, just differently...

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**Thanks so much for reading everyone please continue to tell me your thoughts! (:**


	5. FattyJack with the backpack

**Chapter 5**

"Whoa, who's that?" I ask, my eyes on the boy who had just stepped into the Inn, two duffle bags in his hands. Ruffled brown hair set with a blue cap and trousers he is most definitely a looker, and I'm surely not the only one who's noticed. His eyes catch on mine for a second making me turn bright red looking away quickly with a squeal.

Cliff however looks unimpressed. Actually from where he sits next to me he looks almost completely repulsed by my squeal. "Dunno," he replies.

Cliff and I have gotten closer lately, and honestly it's kind of nice. Even if I do believe our sudden growth in friendship may been sparked by the travelers growing feelings for my best friend. We do share a common schedule after all. Long after both our jobs are have ended Ann's is just picking up. It makes sense to spend our time flagging her down for quick words together rather than apart.

As I thought the new guy has not gone un-noticed to the rest of the Inn's inhabitants. For when I look back in his direction everyone in the room is casting small little too obvious glances his way. He stands at the front counter with Doug who is nodding and jabbering on about something or other. Probably the Inn's night rates but I clearly wasn't the only one straining to hear what words the two were exchanging. The rest of the Inn's dinners are slowly lowering their conversations, readjusting themselves to get a better look and straining their ears for any word that might clue them in as to who this man could be. Quiet obviously it isn't everyday Mineral Town got to see a new face. Actually it isn't quiet every year either.

Ann -who has been mopping up the floors nearby- casts me a small smirk before scooting herself closer to the register where her father and the stranger stand. She waits respectfully for her father to stop talking to introduce herself shaking the man's hand enthusiastically. When he responds however her eyes widen multiple degrees, "No way!" her jaw drops. Then seeming to realize what she just did as rude she blatantly scoops her hand up and over her mouth as if the motion canceled out her words.

"What do you think that was about?" Cliff asks his jaw obviously tensing a little as he watches the man. If I didn't know Cliff better I'd say he is sizing the other man up for a fight.

"I wish I knew," I admit notably taking Ann's shocked silence as-well. It took a lot to silence my friend, I knew. But the stranger didn't seem at all angered by Ann's outburst, if anything he seems completely amused. He smiles and sends a laugh that echoes around the now silent room. And even the fact that he has the whole restaurants attention doesn't seem anything out of the ordinary to him.

Doug however is not so forgiving casting a reprimanding look over his daughter as hands over a room key. He motions to the stairs spewing directions for the boy to find his room. "Looks like you got a new roommate," I tell Cliff.

When the stranger disappears up the stairs the murmurs instantly picked up again. All guessing as to whom the man was, why he'd come to town. What Ann's reaction exactly had been. Clearly all the starts of tomorrow's rumors. I wait impatiently for Ann to come and tell us what was going on.

"Don't worry Dad," she says audibly grunting at her father's scolding as she hurries over to us. "You'll never in a million trillion years guess who that was!"

"Who?"

"Jack!"

I pause looking at her as if she were insane, "fatty Jack with the backpack?"

"Mhmm," Ann nods eagerly her braid bouncing up and down with her head.

"Huh?" Cliff asks whom I've almost forgotten my mind swirling; there is no way that that is the same boy as Ann was implying.

"I forgot you're still relatively new to Mineral Town aren't you?" Ann says looking over at the traveler. Who looked as if he wanted to protest year in town, if only he knew.

"Fatty Jack with the backpack was this kid who came every summer to Mineral Town when we were kids," I try to inform him. "And well…"

"He was fat," Ann supplied no batting an eye. "You know the farmer who passed away last winter when you arrived? His parents were close family friends of him, he must be real sad about his passing…"

Cliff though nodding seemed to be struggling to catch up with us. "And what he carried a backpack?"

"Like it was his job," I tell him. "It was this beat up purple thing, that he took everywhere and would never let anyone look into. It was heavy to; he'd often be out of breath from lugging it around with him." I never really thought much of fatty- um Jack. I remember he used to have this huge crush on Karen though. And she'd hated him. He'd follow her around everywhere until she would threaten to –and many times carry out- beat him to pulp. Rick consequentially hadn't liked him either, so I wasn't aloud much near him. But I remember Mary had been close to him.

"The only person I think he let look in that thing was Mary," Ann says slowly stacking Cliff and I's glasses to keep busy. "Damn it he's gorgeous," she mutters looking up at the stairs like he'd resurface any moment so she could marvel at him.

"Bet he didn't look so good fat," Cliff whispers so low I think I'm the only one who heard him. I smirk, jealousy is such an ugly color but on Cliff it is absolutely adorable.

~~~~:~~~~

"Popuri? Can you get me those pink pills Tim dropped off earlier today?" Mom asks. And I feel a clench in my stomach when she does. She doesn't sound good. Her voice is weak, raspy in a tone so unlike her. So unnatural to everything a healthy voice should sound like.

"What is it supposed to do?" I ask standing up and opening up the medicine cabinet.

"Help me sleep," she response faintly.

I nod even if she doesn't turn her head to see it. I don't want to make her talk anymore. I don't want to hear that sickly voice any longer. Finding the dispenser I drop out one of the tiny pink pills into my hand and hand it over to her watching as she gulps it down. Taking the now empty glass from her I go to set it in the sink.

I look over the dishes sitting in it my eyes hard. I don't want to see her like this; I don't want to be here. I don't want her to be ill at all! But I swallow away the words that seem to be cutting at my throat wanting to be screamed to the world. They were not helping anyone I will not leave her alone she might need something. When Rick gets back from wherever it is he's run off to I'll go off to the beach, I tell myself.

Swallowing the lump that had formed itself in my throat I go back to the couch listening to annoying infomercials and the rasped breaths of my mother until they faded into a slowed sleep. My eyes are slowly following suit with hers when the sharp click of the doors unlatching locks make me jump.

Rick walks in nodded his apology on waking me. "Mom asleep?" he asks.

"Yeah she had me give her the pills Tim dropped off."

He nods eyes going over her, worry clearly clouding them. He walks up pulling up the blanket over her collecting photo album discarded by her hands. How much the scene looks reversed, father to daughter not son to mother. I hated it, it should be this way. "You okay?" Rick asks his eyes concerned.

I nod quickly, turning so he can't see me and the tears welling up in my eyes. "I'm going to the beach," I tell him fighting to keep my voice strong. Not waiting for a response I closed to the door quickly behind me. It isn't right, what had she ever done to deserve this? _Any_ of this?

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**I am so sorry for how long it has taken for me to update this chapter! I actually have no good excuse either. I was just thinking about how much I love this story and how many good plans I had and still have for it when I realized this chapter was already written! I had to clean it up a lot but I think I'm happy with it. It isn't my favorite but I think thats alright, it serves the purpose I need it to. Thanks again for reading everyone and please review if you have the time! (:**

**Oh and do you like the new chapter titles?**


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